Bert Kortlang - mystery man no more

Bert Kortlang was for a long time, even during his playing career, regarded as a mystery man.

But that has changed due to a fine biography by Rob Franks, Bert Kortlang – the globe-trotting cricketer.

In modern times he might be described as an entrepreneur who peddled his wares around the world. An Australian who made his first-class debut for Victoria in 1909, he played 35 first-class games, 15 for Wellington and one for New Zealand.

Without interruptions caused by his peripatetic nature, he would have scored many more. He did finish his career with an average of 49.77 and scored 2688 runs, including six centuries.

He was good enough to play singles games for an Australian XI and for the Rest of Australia and to share in a world record partnership of 358 runs for the second wicket with Colin McKenzie when Victoria played Western Australia in 1910.

But around the time the rest of Australia's cricketers were involved in fighting the First World War, he was in the United States of America playing cricket there, often featuring among the most productive of batsmen in the active competitions especially around New York. He also kept his eye in during winters that he didn't return down under by winning numerous regional billiards titles.

He had stints playing in Bermuda and Canada, and across his career, he scored 19,106 runs at 54.90 and hit 44 centuries.

After the war, he settled in Wellington, and although 42 by the time he played his first game for the capital's side, he continued for six of their summers, during which time he hit 1068 runs, including his highest score of 214 not out.

Controversy surrounded his non-inclusion in the New Zealand team to play Archie MacLaren's MCC team in 1922-23 Kortlang claimed he met the residential requirement of having played three seasons in Wellington.

But, probably in keeping with the undue deference applicable to New Zealand to anything associated with Mother England, it was decided not to upset the touring side by including him.

He did get his chance a season later when New South Wales toured.

Kortlang, in keeping with his apparent nature in his employment, was an attacking sort of player and is regarded as the player who introduced the hook shot into the New Zealand game.

Once he left the traveller's world behind, he settled in Perth. He became a prolific newspaper columnist and also got involved in establishing baseball in the state. He also befriended Australian legend Sir Don Bradman providing more material to digest.

Through the marvels of modern research, many of Kortlang's columns can be read on Trove, the Australian collection of digitised newspapers.

Rob Franks has told Kortland's story in remarkable detail while producing a highly readable account of his sporting deeds and mercantile machinations. The manner in which he covered the globe in the pre-jumbo jet era almost defies belief.

Kortlang may have deserved the description of a man of mystery, but thanks to this book, that is no longer the case.

Bert Kortlang – the globe-trotting cricketer by Rob Franks. Published by The Cricket Publishing Company.